50 



fruit much overlooked regarding its value as a hedge plant ; will 

 grow freely from cuttings. Purposely cultivated in Algeria for 

 walking sticks. Passed with very few other plants through years 

 of drought in Central Australia. 



PRIVET (Ligustrum Japonicum, Thunberg). The Japan Privet, 

 a shrub evergreen or nearly so, promising to become a valuable 

 hedge plant. Grows readily from cuttings, like the ordinary 

 European privet, Ligustrum vulgare (Linne). Both will grow 

 under trees, where scarcely anything else would -live. 



QUINCE (Pyrus Cydonia, Linne, and Cydonia Vulgaris, Per- 

 soon). The Caspian Sea, one of the hardiest of orchard trees, and 

 serves a great many useful ends. Raised by cuttings or by layers 

 which strike root freely. Frequently used as a stock for other 

 trees. Very little pruning is required ; extensively used as a hedge 

 or screen. 



TAGASASTE (Gytisus prolifereus, Linne fil.). Canary Island. A 

 fodder shrub for light dry soil ; finally tall, rather intolerant to 

 frost and drought. Valuable also for apiarists. In some places it 

 was found that horses and cattle dislike this plant as nutriment. 

 It grows quickly again when cut. 



THE TREE TOBACCO (Nicotiana glauca, Graham). Argentina 

 and Uruguay. Grows amazingly on the sandy country around 

 Perth, Geraldton, etc. On the Greenough flats I saw a most 

 efficient break-wind made of this quickly- growing arborescent 

 species, planted 3ft. to 4ft. apart ; with stems half cut through at a 

 height of 2ft. with a tomahawk, bent down almost at right angle, 

 and tied up to the next plant. From these curved stems numerous 

 strong shoots grow straight up, and as they are very elastic and 

 almost unbreakable by the wind, make very efficient shelter hedge. 

 One of the best of plants to establish shelter and stay the shifting 

 of the sand waves, where the poisonous property of its foliage is 

 not objectionable. It is inadmissible to pastoral places on account 

 of its deleteriousness. 



THORNLESS OPUNTIA or Indian Fig ; Thornless Prickly Pear 

 (Opuntia Ficus indica). Very useful for big edges; not inflam- 

 mable. The leaves are larger and thicker than the common thorny 

 variety (0. vulgaris), being fleshy, whilst their power of evapora- 

 tion is comparatively small. They resist prolonged droughts ; a 

 native of Central America, but much cultivated in the drier parts of 

 Algeria and Tunis for cattle and the pigs. The leaves are as 

 nourishing as the fruit or figs, but the thinning of the plants 

 weaken them, hence it is preferable to use the fruit mostly. As 

 food for stock, three cwts. are equivalent in nourishing value to one 

 cwt. of hay; they are mixed for that purpose with chaff. The 

 prickly variety is also useful for hedges and for stock, but in warm 

 climates it easily spreads over uncultivated land and proves a 

 nuisance. The leaves and figs of this sort are previously scorched 

 and then cut up for stock feed, mixed with dry chaff. For planting 



